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The Shadow of What Was Lost/Chapter 17
| next= }} Summary Davian, Taeris, Wirr and Caeden are moving through the crowds on one of Thrindar's main streets leading towards the Great Stadium. Taeris seemed irritated at the crowds, while Wirr looked excited at each new sight, and Caeden was nervous about being recognized. Word had traveled to the city before them about his escape and wanted posters were already up around the city. Taeris had altered Caeden's appearance as much as possible by cutting his hair and putting on multiple layers of clothes to bulk him up, but it was a thin deception. They eventually make their way in sight of the Great Stadium noticing hundreds of banners draped from the walls. Wirr tells Davian that they are the insignias of some of those competing, most being noblemen who had the time and means to learn swordplay at a younger age than most. Davian wonders at the cost of entry, to which Wirr laughs saying even nobles couldn't afford entry alone. Only a very few get invitations, but everyone else uses sponsors to share the entry fees and reap a percentage of any winnings. Wirr lists off some of countries that he recognizes banners from, including Andarra, Desriel, Narut, Nesk, and the Eastern Empire. Davian is surprised by how many Wirr recognizes and Wirr shrugs it off saying Elder Jarras' political lessons were thorough. Taeris eventually stops them a short way from the stadium and tells them they won't have any chance of entering the stadium itself, but there should be Gifted coming and going. He says he will try to contact one of them and through them possibly gain an audience with the royal delegation. They wait around for a little while and eventually see someone in a red Gifted cloak exit the stadium with a guard close behind him, Trap held prominently in hand in front of him. Taeris says worriedly that he didn't think it would be this bad. Davian shifts to get a better look and walks straight into pretty girl about his own age and knocks her to the ground. Davian quickly bends down and helps her to her feet while stammering embarrassed apologies as she glances up in amusement. The crowd shifts again, and Davian loses sight of the girl but notices Wirr's amused smile.We meet this girl again and learn her name in . Davian glares at his friend and thinks back to Asha in Caladel and how she surely thinks they abandoned her. Wirr ignores the glare and instead turns to Taeris wondering about how they are going to cross the border now, but Taeris says he has another idea. He leads them back through the crowds and to a large ornate building. Caeden immediately names it the Temple of Marut Jha Talkanar, God of Balance, to which Taeris looks at him sideways before confirming it. Wirr reacts in disbelief, wondering how they are going to find help in one of the Desrielite temples, but Taeris just tells them to say nothing and do as he tells them. They enter the temple, and Taeris moves through another interior door telling them to wait. He returns after a few moments with another man who is clearly drunk and introduces them to the Nihim Sethi, the high priest of Talkanar. Nihim woozily greets everyone, and Taeris explains that it's the month of debauchery, and of all choices, getting drunk is about the most morel thing one can do and still look pious. Wirr comments that it seems like it should be more popular then, but Nihim corrects him saying these days they only survive by the will of the Gil'shar, and that in addition to debauchery, there are months of abstinence, gluttony, starvation, pleasure, and pain. Wirr jokes that at least they will be devout half the yearThis is the only indication that a year in the world of Andarra is indeed twelve months long., but Nihim warns him that speech like that could lead execution. Davian is astonished that they would kill for that and Nihim calls it 'aggressive evangelism'. Taeris interrupts the conversation saying there's a reason the Gifted are so hated here, and that Nihim is taking a huge risk helping them. Nihim excuses himself to take a tonic for clear-headedness and that they should not be disturbed staying there. Taeris thanks him and the four enter a side room to wait. Eventually Nihim comes back looking more composed and apologizes for keeping them waiting. He jokes briefly about Taeris having gathered a small group of friends and then asks what he can do for them. Taeris tells him that they need to get a message to the king. Nihim immediately understands their need to safe passage across the border but tells them that the king is not part of the delegation. He sent his eighteen-year-old daughter, Princess Karaliene, instead. Taeris mutters about how time flies, and that he would not have though that King Andras would have been comfortable enough to send his daughter into Desriel. He figures that their plan should still work though. He gives Nihim a small metal coin with three triangles punched in it and asks that he give it to one of the older Gifted in the royal entourage. One of them would still recognize a request of sanctuary from the Unseen War. Nihim agrees and asks to talk with Taeris in private for a moment. While the two of them headed out, Davian, Wirr, and Caeden discuss who they think Nihim really is. Davian's not sure but since he knows they are Gifted and hasn't turned them in, that's good enough for him, and Caeden agrees. Wirr thinks that Nihim must be a Tol Athian spy, and that he must owe Taeris something big for him to take the risk. A while later Taeris returns and tells them that Nihim is taking the message to the Great Stadium. While they wait Davian asks Taeris how he knows Nihim and Taeris replies that he is an old friend, but more than that is not his place to say.We learn more about Taeris and Nihim's history in . A short time later Nihim returns with two Desrielite soldiers. He tells the group that the soldiers will take them for an audience with Princess Karaliene Andras. The soldiers escort them to the stadium and through winding passageways and stairs to a room with a window overlooking the arena. The soldiers tell them to wait there until after the final bout and Taeris dismisses them. The four of them move over to the window to watch the match while waiting. Down below they saw two men in the arena, a slim, younger man with a relaxed posture, and an older, giant of a man. Davian is surprised that they aren't wearing armor and Wirr explains that they are wielding blunted swords. Injuries still happen, but usually the worst are broken bones. Wirr looks towards the banners of each fighter and recognizes one as the Andarran family of Shainwiere, and figures that since the lord of that house too old to be fighting, it must be his son. Davian notes how much smaller the Andarran fighter is compared to the other, but Wirr explains that while strength is important, it's usually the quicker, smarter fighter that wins. The two fighters begin circling and it's apparent that the Andarran fighter is faster, though the bigger man is equally skilled and holds his own. They fight for several minutes, each one getting hits in but neither falling to the other. Davian notices that the longer the fight goes on the cheers from the audience seem to favor the larger man. Taeris notices too and explains that even though the Song of Swords is not supposed to be political, there is a lot of bad blood between Andarra and Desriel, and it would be a slap in the face if Shainwiere were to win. A few moments later the fight shifts and the larger man presses forward, pushing Shainwiere back and knocking his sword out of his hand. The younger Andarran gives the sign of surrender and crowd surges in approval. About an hour later the door finally opens and enters a red cloaked Gifted who Taeris recognizes as an Elder from Tol Shen called Dras Lothlar. The Elder recognizes Taeris as well and is surprised to find the man alive and asks what happened to his face. Taeris replies that Administration was not kind before he escaped, and that he hopes that they can put the past behind them as they need help and have nowhere else to turn. Taeris says they need to get the boys out of Desriel safety to which Dras roars in laughter. He asks why he should help a criminal like Taeris, let alone another who is accused of it by the Gil'shar, recognizing Caeden through the disguise. Taeris tells Dras that Caeden was falsely accused but Dras says that even if he believed Taeris, did he really think the princess would vouch for them at the border. If the Gil'shar found out, it would surely mean war. Just then the princess enters the room with her entourage, which included the Andarran fighter that they watched in the final bout. Taeris quickly steps forward and begins asking for help but trails off when he notices the princess was no longer paying attention to him. Davian turns to see Wirr cringing under the princess' glare while everyone looks between them in confusion. She points to Wirr and orders him to take a walk with her and for everyone else to wait there. Dras immediately tries to protest but the princess snaps back at him and he quiets. Karaliene and Wirr leave the room, while Dras tries asking Taeris what game he is playing. Taeris replies that for the first time, he is as ignorant as Dras. Wirr follows Karaliene into another small room, silently cursing his own luck. Karaliene closes the door with an angry stare and Wirr braces himself. Darkly, Karaliene says hello to her cousin. Characters Appeared *Aelric Shainwiere as the Andarran fighter *Caeden *Davian *Representative Dras Lothlar *Ishelle Devries as the girl who Davian knocked down *Princess Karaliene Andras *High Priest Nihim Sethi *Taeris Sarr *Torin Wirrander Andras as Wirr Mentioned *Asha *Elder Jarras *King Kevran Andras *Silbin Hran Geography *Andarra (mentioned) *Desriel *Eastern Empire (mentioned) *Ilin Illan (mentioned) *Narut (mentioned) *Nesk (mentioned) *Thrindar *Tol Athian (mentioned) *Tol Shen (mentioned) Terms *Administration *Boundary *Essence *Gifted *Gil'shar *sha'teth *Song of Swords *Trap *Unseen War Category:Chapters